Cherish These Days…For They Go By Too Quickly

Nobody tells you that once you become a mother you lose all sense of privacy and noise becomes part of the equation. The more children you have the potential for more noise increases. My husband and I have six children and my hearing has been dulled. What did you just say? I cannot hear you! No, seriously I cannot hear you because its too loud in here!

My husband and I often reminisce on those sweet days gone by before children arrived. In those memories we fondly remember silent meals where we had entire conversations that we were able to complete.

Now our conversations go something like this at our dinner time.

Me: How was your day, Husband?

Kid #1: Mom, did you sign my band permission slip?

Husband: Well, I ….

Kid #3: Mom, I need ketchup. Ketchup? Please?

Me to kid #6: Stop putting your face in your yogurt. No, you must use your spoon. Husband: We had a meeting all morning, which was boring because the safety guy ….

Kid #3: MO-OOOM ketchup (mind you he is sitting next to the fridge)

Me: Stop interrupting when Daddy is trying to talk.

Ugh, the baby (kid #6) is painting her high chair again and her hair.

Kid #2: I do not like chicken, I want a cheese taco instead. Me: No, you may not have a cheese taco. Meanwhile, Husband is quietly waiting for his turn to share about his day.

Kid #4: Dad, are we going skiing tonight? Husband: Anyways, today I….

Kid #1 : Did you sign my band slip, Mom?

The conversation is never finished. Our meal will be finished and I won’t have the opportunity to talk to Husband until later on in the evening.

Some children will help me clear the dishes and perhaps clean up the kitchen and the rest run off to play or do homework.

Now, should my children interrupt at meal time. Technically, no, but we are working on it.

Let’s get back to the point and that is as a mother the lack of solitude. We have eight bathrooms in our house. Eight? Yes, you heard that we have eight bathrooms.

The house was formerly an adult foster care. So there is one bathroom for each one of us. Every single time that I find myself in the bathroom it never fails I see little fingers under the door begging to come in.

Just a few short months ago when I was in the bathroom one child found me and was dragging a gallon of juice and a cup because they ‘needed’ juice right at that moment.

And within a week of that while I was in the bathroom another child wanted me to make a sandwich.

Well…. These moments go on and on. However, the truth is that as a mom I am used to the constant hum of children. Tonka trunks and race tracks. An active game of ping pong and pool played at the same time. Three of my little’s running through the house screeching as they are being chased by the brother.

A very boisterous game of hide-n-seek turned into a Nerf gun war. Or two of my girls practicing two different songs on their flutes with their doors open, and at the same time another child is on the piano playing and singing.

This is my life. I would have it no other way.

My children are precious gifts from the Lord. Someday my house will not be filled with their laughter and the running, okay more like stampeding, through the house.

I will miss the fights and and not so friendly moments amongst them. I will miss middle of the night wake up calls. I will miss the tears, boo-boo’s, endless trips to the emergency room, and all the frustration situations with my children may have caused.

As much as these moments may frustrate us as mothers, they are all too fleeting. These too shall pass. Mom’s don’t wish away these days.

Please, don’t wish for the next stage of development because the current one is too “hard” to handle or because you’re not getting enough sleep. Each stage will pass. Each phase will come to an end.

It Will Come To An End

One day the pitter patter of little feet will stop and those pitter patters will become tromping through the house. One day those feet will walk out of the house into their own house. Soon your house will be empty. Quiet. There will come a day all too soon that you will have all the peace and quiet you could possibly want. You will miss these days.

Cherish your time with your babies. Each and every second is precious, no matter now time-consuming or overwhelming.

Thank the Lord you have these moments because withing those moments you will find the precious sweetness only a mother could know.

Early Morning Wake Up

I value my time in the morning before my household wakes up. It is during that time I savor the solitude and silence. During these quiet moments I seek the face of the Lord through His breathed living Word, pray, and journal.

It allows me to collect my thoughts and become armed with the truth and strengths I need for the day. As much as I joke about the zoo I live in, I have learned there are times for everything.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens..”

Yes! I just challenged my instagram friends to take pics of these little messes and moments just so you can remember them on your computer later. Mine leave “surprises” everywhere and I know I will miss turning the corner to find them one day. Good reminder!